


To Dance the Night Away

by Kitashi



Series: Through Eyes of Courts and Fate [1]
Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Azriel POV, Azriel's first time at Rita's, F/M, Mor POV, Moriel - Freeform, Pre-ACOTAR
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-15
Updated: 2016-08-15
Packaged: 2018-08-08 22:10:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7775536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kitashi/pseuds/Kitashi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mor has asked Azriel to go to Rita’s with her for 400 years, and every time, he’s refused. And she’s tired of asking.</p><p>But now that she’s tired of asking, is there anything he can do to make it right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Mor

**Author's Note:**

  * For [illyriantremors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/illyriantremors/gifts).



> MORIEL!
> 
> I'm going to be honest, I've fallen hard for this ship. I love these two as much as Feyre & Rhys lol
> 
> This fic wasn't a request necessarily (outside of mutual agreement the fandom was sorely lacking Moriel fics at the time of its creation), but @illyriantremors is my Moriel partner in crime & tumblr bestie, & there is no one else I would think of giving a Moriel fic like this to.
> 
> This is a two part fic, with a chapter for Mor & one for Azriel. Same story, two different points of view and thoughts on the situations.
> 
> This contains minor spoilers for ACOMAF. Not enough be ground breaking, but still worth warning lol
> 
> Enjoy! :D

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mor's POV

‘Do you want to go to Rita's?’ I’d ask. His answer was always the same: ‘Maybe some other time.’

Cassian was a constant companion, and Rhys would join us more often than not. It was a way to unwind, to not have a care in the world, and just _enjoy_. Nothing but the _now_ existed, surrounded by the music and my fellow dancers on the floor, the alcohol flowing freely and the music so loud you couldn't hear yourself think. It was joyful, it was fun, and that was just fine by me. I would look to the booth that Rita had basically permanently reserved for us, where Cassian would be flirting with whichever pretty girl mustered up the courage to walk up to him, and Rhys would be smiling into his drink as he tried not to roll his eyes at whatever cheesy line came out of Cassian's mouth. But there was just something missing. _Someone_ missing.

And so I kept asking him.

Four hundred years. I’d been asking him for _four hundred years_ to go dancing with me. It had become routine. A dance almost in itself.

I didn't think that even Azriel's patience could hold out that long.

But his answer remained the same, every night with no exception: ‘Maybe some other time.’

After four hundred years, I was finally tired of asking.

I sat at the vanity in my room at the House of Wind, applying my makeup with care. I was quite proud of how I looked tonight. My dress was simple, sleeveless and deep blue; it showed off my curves nicely, the knee length skirt just perfect for spinning on the dance floor. I purposely put my golden hair partially up in a twisted bun to show off the back, a beautiful sparkling black lace in between the crisscross pattern of the blue fabric, meant to match my shoes that sat off to the side. It had been a gem of a find over in the Rainbow, the little shop full of brightly colored dresses and cute outfits I would need to come back for later.

There was a knock at the door, almost a tapping.

“Come in,” I called, not looking away from the mirror.

I could see his reflection. He had barely walked past the door frame, decked out in his usual black with a blue siphon on each hand, his hair windswept and his eyes on my back. I vaguely realized that his siphons were the same shade of blue as my dress, an unintentional choice on my part, but I kept my face passive.

“...are you going to Rita's?” His voice was more gravelly than usual.

“Yes,” I said matter of factly, applying kohl to my eyelids and doing my best to sound as bored as possible.

“...why didn't you ask me?” His voice was stoic, but… was that a hint of disappointment in his voice?

I raised an eyebrow, staring at Az’s reflection. Truthfully, I had picked the day because I knew he had been out scouting for Rhys. It was easier to not ask if he wasn't there. But I knew if I turned around and faced him now, I’d give in and ask him like I always had. “Az, I’ve been asking you for _four hundred years_ if you wanted to go. Each time which you’ve said no.” I laid down my makeup brush. Taking a deep breath to steel myself, I stood up and turned around. I didn't let myself look him in the eye. He was eyeing my dress, almost appraisingly, though he was trying to look disinterested. His usual stoic mask, the one he wore when he closed himself off. The one I desperately wanted to crack, and finally was coming to the realization I probably never would.

“Mor, are you ready?” Rhys's voice floated from the foyer.

“Just a minute,” I called down. I tried to smile at him, but I just didn't have it in me.

“You don't have to go. It's really fine.” It wasn't, but I didn't want to let him know how hurt I was. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go. Everyone else is waiting on me.”

I grabbed my shoes and walked past him, a halfhearted good night crossing my lips before I could stop it, my shoulder unintentionally brushing against his arm. I didn't look back.

~~

I’d never _not_ enjoyed going to Rita’s. For Cauldron’s sake, I practically lived here.

But tonight, I sat at the table with Rhys and Cassian and had never felt less interested in being here. I hadn't even been on the dance floor once, a first for me. I sat with a drink at the table, not the least bit interested in the joyful chaos surrounding us.

Cassian had yet another new girl flirting with him on his lap this evening. I vaguely wondered if one ever came back twice, or if he even wanted them to come back. “Is everything okay, Mor?” Rhys asked quietly, breaking my musings.

I pasted a smile on my face, but I knew it didn't reach my eyes. “Of course. Why wouldn't it be?” To add credit to my façade, I stood up and moved towards the dance floor, melting into the crowd to get away from Rhys's piercing gaze & raised eyebrow. I knew I couldn't put anything past him, but I wasn't willing to talk about it with him. Not right now.

Being on the dance floor helped, but it just didn't have the same appeal. Nothing was really different than any night before it. Except the crushing realization that the dance partner I always secretly hoped would show up would never come. I did my best to distract myself, and soon got into a rhythm that made me breathe hard and hair get in my eyes. The music had changed, a signal that it was getting later in the night. Last call would be in a few hours; I knew the cues. I wasn't sure if I would stay for it tonight.

A heavy hand laid on my shoulder, causing me jump and spin around quickly. I found myself facing a muscled chest clad in a black button up shirt, a blue siphon at the collar. My heart skipped a beat. “May I have this dance?” a quiet, gravelly voice asked me, almost drowned out by the volume of the music. I still heard every word. I almost didn't dare look up. But I did. And looked into Azriel’s hazel eyes.

He gave me the smallest of smiles - I’d never seen him smile - and held out his scarred hand in offering.

And I took it without hesitation. With a grin, I pulled him further into the crowd, and showed him exactly what made Rita's so fun.

I’d never had as good of a time as I did that night. Azriel was a surprisingly good dancer, and spun me around until I was laughing and almost dizzy. We weren't dancing like the rest of the crowd, raucous and rowdy, but I didn't care. The fact he had finally come just made my heart swell. The music had quieted down, and I silently thanked whoever had made that choice. Azriel seemed to be more at ease as the night went on, willing to actually dance himself. Eventually, we got tired, and I led him back to our booth, where Rhys gave me a knowing look before clasping arms with his brother and Shadowsinger with a grin, scooting further in to make room for us. I couldn't keep the smile off my face.

It was perfect now.

~~

“Now was that so bad?” I asked him teasingly as we walked through Velaris after last call, our little family preparing to part ways until our meeting with Rhys in the morning. He shook his head and chuckled lightly. He reached out hesitantly, and brushed a loose tendril of hair behind my ear.

“I-”

“Azriel, you coming?” Cassian yelled, breaking the moment. Az cleared his throat.

“See you in the morning, Mor.” He turned away and walked toward Cassian, who was smirking at us. I locked eyes with Cassian and flipped him off. His grin grew wider and said something to Az that made him punch Cassian in the shoulder, who just laughed in response. I turned around and made my way down the street slowly, not wanting to go back to the House just yet. Enjoying the Velaris night and humming one of the songs we had danced to.

And the next time I asked him, ‘Do you want to go to Rita's?’, the answer from that day forward was always, ‘ _Yes.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you thought! All comments and suggestions are welcome, & if you have a POV/scene you would really like to see, please let me know! Thank you for reading!
> 
> Also, I have a writing Tumblr! If anyone is interested in talking & discussing ACOTAR, ACOMAF, or giving suggestions/asking questions, I can be found at _<http://kitashiwrites.tumblr.com>_.
> 
> Hope to see you there!


	2. Azriel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Azriel's POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AZRIEL! ^^ Can you believe he was easier to write than Mor? I’m hoping I did him justice. He was a lot of fun to write, & I want to write him again sometime!

‘Do you want to go to Rita’s?’ She'd ask me. My answer was always the same: ‘Maybe some other time.’

For four hundred years, Mor had asked me. She would describe what it was like at the bar and dance club they frequented: Cassian making a fool of himself in front of anything in a skirt, with Rhys to watch the show and stop things if they got too out of hand. The lights, and the music, and the _dancing_. Her eyes lit up like Starfall when she talked about the dancing. She wanted me to go so badly, but I couldn't bring myself to. I was not interested in the idea of loud music, in dancing, but I wanted so badly to go just to spend time in her presence.

I’d loved her from afar the moment she had winnowed into our camp with Rhys, a spirited, golden-haired seventeen year old that looked ready to break. A beautiful, lovely creature like none I had ever seen, that had slept with one of the people I considered family, a true brother, in her desperation to ruin her value to her status obsessed family.

I would never forget the enraged, heartbroken pummeling I had given Cassian afterward, or the sight of her beaten and bruised body on the forest floor of the Autumn Court days later when I went to find her after Rhys told me what happened; a note _nailed_ to her stomach as both her family and her betrothed left her to die alone for disobeying them.

Despite the horrors in her life, Mor had grown into a bright light that lit up every room she walked into. I was so in love with her it was ridiculous, but I couldn't bring myself to tell her. I couldn't taint that beautiful light with my shadows and scars. She deserved so much better.

And so every time she asked, I answered ‘Maybe some other time.’ It was safer that way.

I should have known it wouldn't last forever. I flew into Velaris, ready to report to Rhys my findings from my contacts on the coast. Despite our time of relative peace, one could never be too careful.

When I walked through the door, Rhys and Cassian were sitting in the foyer of the House of Wind, dressed for Rita’s. I felt disappointment sinking in my gut. “Have you seen Mor?” I asked without any preamble, my reason for being here forgotten. She hadn't asked me like she usually would. Cassian gave me a knowing grin, but Rhys merely jerked his head towards the staircase, a ghost of a smile on his lips. I moved up the stairs, and found myself outside her bedroom door. It was closed.

I hesitated for a moment, not even sure I should ask. But I knocked at the door lightly, almost tapping.

“Come in,” she answered, her lovely voice muffled by the door. I opened the door, moving only just inside the door frame, and was met with a sight.

She sat at her mirror, putting makeup that she didn't need on her face, her golden hair partially pulled up in a twisted bun and revealing sparkling black lace in between a crisscross pattern of deep blue fabric. I was momentarily stunned, but I managed to find my voice.

“...are you going to Rita's?” I couldn’t keep it from catching, her presence affecting me more than usual.

“Yes,” she said matter of factly, applying more makeup to her eyelids, her tone bored.

“...why didn't you ask me?” I tried to keep my voice steady, but I couldn't hide my disappointment.

She raised an eyebrow, staring at my reflection in her mirror. “Az, I’ve been asking you for _four hundred years_ if you wanted to go. Each time which you’ve said no.” My guilt welled up at her words. She laid down her brush and took a deep breath before standing up and turning around. She wouldn't meet my gaze, but I couldn't keep my eyes off of her dress. It showed off her figure, the knee length skirt modest, but attractive, and the color looked beautiful on her. I tried to keep my face passive, but I wanted nothing more than to close the distance between us and kiss her, my reasons and reservations be damned.

“Mor, are you ready?” Rhys's voice floated from the foyer. I felt my eyes widen. I didn't want her to leave.

“Just a minute,” she called down. She gave me a half smile, but it didn't reach her eyes.

“You don't have to go. It's really fine.” The hurt in her voice was hard to miss, and it cut through me. I hadn't realized just how much my polite, but constant, refusals had affected her. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go. Everyone else is waiting on me.”

She grabbed her shoes and walked past me, a halfhearted good night crossing her lips, her shoulder brushing against my arm. I turned, wanting to say something, anything. She didn't look back, descending down the stairs. I couldn't bring myself to move, and a few moments later, heard the door slam, leaving me alone.

I felt like a fool. Her request had never been unreasonable. I just had been too blind to see it that way.

But maybe it wasn't too late to fix it.

I walked quickly to my room, knowing exactly what I needed to do.

~~

I’d walked into Rita's and found my brothers sitting at a table easily, my shadows knowing theirs as well as my own. Cassian briefly looked up from the girl in his lap, acknowledging I was there with a grin before whispering something that made her let out a peal of grating giggles.

“It's about time you showed up,” Rhys said flatly. I fought the urge to wince. “I don't know what you said to each other, and I don't want to. But fix it. She hasn't been herself all night.” He jerked his head toward the crowd of dancers in the middle of the room. I nodded and took a deep breath, stepping into the crowd.

There were so many people, bumping and grinding against each other in time to the music like the night would never end. I tucked my wings in tight, and wove my way through, feeling for Mor in the crowd.

She was of course in the middle, dancing with a smile on her face. Her movements though were not as joyful, as free as I was used to seeing. She had turned away again. I came up behind her and laid my hand on her shoulder. She jumped and spun around quickly, facing my chest. Some of her hair had escaped from her bun, little tendrils of gold that had gotten in her eyes. I swallowed hard. “May I have this dance?” I asked her, my voice almost drowned out by the volume of the music. She froze and slowly looked up at me, her beautiful brown eyes filled with surprise and… hope?

I gave her - the light in my world of shadows - a small smile and held out my scar mottled hand in offering.

And she took it without hesitation. My heart leapt as she gave me a radiant smile of her own and pulled me further into the crowd of people.

I had more fun than I expected, though most of it came from being near her. I spun her around until she was laughing and dizzy. We weren't dancing like the rest of the crowd, raucous and rowdy, but neither of us seemed to care. The music quieted down, and I silently thanked whoever had made that choice. I felt more at ease as the night went on, and tried to dance myself, though I didn't feel very coordinated. Mor was patient with me, and led me through steps of dances almost more intricate than those of the battlefield. Eventually, we got tired, and she led me back to the booth, where Rhys gave her a knowing look before grinning and clasping arms with me, scooting further in to make room for us. Mor smiled broadly, and I felt at ease.

I was glad I came now.

~~

“Now was that so bad?” she asked me teasingly as we walked through Velaris after last call, our little family preparing to part ways until our meeting with Rhys in the morning. I shook my head and chuckled lightly. Maybe it was the alcohol I had consumed that gave me the courage, but I reached out hesitantly, and brushed a loose tendril of hair behind her ear.

“I-”

“Azriel, you coming?” Cassian yelled, breaking the moment. I mentally cursed him and cleared my throat, the moment broken.

“See you in the morning, Mor.” I turned away and walked toward Cassian, who was smirking at us. His grin grew wider as I got closer.

“So are you going to date her already or-” I punched him in the shoulder, cutting him off. Despite how much fun we had, I would never be worthy of her. It was something that couldn't be, as much as I wanted it to. He laughed and kept walking and saying something else I didn't hear. I turned around for a moment and watched her walk in the opposite direction of the House, her steps unhurried, the shadows carrying the sound of her humming a song that we had danced to.

The next time she asked me, ‘Do you want to go to Rita's?’, the answer from that day forward was always, _‘Yes.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you thought! All comments and suggestions are welcome, & if you have a POV/scene you would really like to see, please let me know! Thank you for reading!
> 
> Also, I have a writing Tumblr! If anyone is interested in talking & discussing ACOTAR, ACOMAF, or giving suggestions/asking questions, I can be found at _<http://kitashiwrites.tumblr.com>_.
> 
> Hope to see you there!

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you thought! All comments and suggestions are welcome, & if you have a POV/scene you would really like to see, please let me know! Thank you for reading!
> 
> Also, I have a writing Tumblr! If anyone is interested in talking & discussing ACOTAR, ACOMAF, or giving suggestions/asking questions, I can be found at _<http://kitashiwrites.tumblr.com>_.
> 
> Hope to see you there!


End file.
